I learned that iPads do, in fact, largely enhance the educational experience in the classroom! However, this statement has to be formulated in an open-end sort of way. It is not absolute. For example, the three teachers I interviewed all said something along the following lines: Yes, I believe that iPads improve classroom instruction, because I use them every day in my classroom at least three times a day, but the temptation for them to play games, access social media, and use the camera in a manner unintended for school are ever-present distractions.
Teacher Interviews:
1. What is your opinion of the basis of my Literature Review, which was "how do iPads improve classroom instruction?"
All three teacher interviewees agreed with the statement; they believe that iPads improve classroom instruction, and that they are expanding current educational opportunities. Kelsey Little said, "I agree with this, but believe that the iPad's effectiveness directly corresponds with the teacher's ability to use it, if they understand its capabilities, and can incorporate it into lesson plans" (K. Little, personal communication, December 9, 2014). The answer ties directly into the next question.
2. How much training do teachers require to use the iPad in their classroom?
The interviewees reported that teacher training largely depends on the individual teacher. Shay Sullivan said, "Totally depends on the teacher; so, if a teacher is already proficient with the tools, then they don’t need much training at all" (S. Sullivan, December 14, 2014).
3. How have you used the iPad in your classroom?
The interviewees use the iPad as often as possible in their classrooms. Two of the teachers teach at schools with 1:1 student to iPad ratios; one teacher teaches at a school where multiple students share the iPads every day. The apps and programs used varies. Joseph Cussen said, "I use it a lot for student research. I try to use it as an instructional tool. I also have my course fully available online – all handouts and assignments are provided online – and [the students] have their ipad in front of them only during instructional time, or during research as a class, or going over a handout, or research" (J. Cussen, personal communication, December 10, 2014).
4. How have students responded to the iPad?
Students respond positively to the iPad, according to my interviewees. Kelsey Little said, "Most really enjoy using them. However, there are still some luddites out there who resist technology and prefer pen and paper. Just today we were doing an activity in which students designed their own arena for the Hunger Games on iPads using the Toontastic App, and I had a handful of students ask if they could just draw it because they couldn't figure out the iPad's gadgets" (K. Little, personal communication, December 9, 2014).
5. What are some drawbacks/disadvantages of using the iPad in your classroom?
Shay Sullivan said, "The camera is always a challenge; they can take pictures of anything and then set it as a home screen on the device. They can leave messages for the next period because they know it is not physically possible for me to check the contents of all 27 iPads in that 3-minute period in-between classes…so really, though, there’s nothing that outweighs the benefits" (S. Sullivan, December 14, 2014). Overall, the interviewees reported that students greatly enjoy the incorporation of the iPad into their daily routine.
6. Did funding play a role in the purchase of the iPads for your school/district?
Answers varied. Joseph Cussen teaches for a wealthy private academy, so he reported no issues with being able to afford a 1:1 personal mobile computing initiative (although he did mention the irony in that the year the devices were purchased, the staff health benefits were reduced). Kelsey Little noted a difference in the Title 1 school she used to teach for, and the school she works for now where there is a 1:1 initiative in place. She said, "It doesn't seem like such a big deal anymore, but I recognize the expense because of my previous work experience" (K. Little, personal communication, December 9, 2014). Shay Sullivan responded that, while administration would have more information on financial specifics, he believes the iPad will save money in the long-term, particularly in the area of textbook purchase.
Ron Bosch/Lexington 1 School District:
The rules in place for a 1:1 Personal Mobile Computing Initiative are quite strict. There is just as much potential for failure as there is success if regulations are not followed to the furthest degree. Students learn responsibility; in other words, there is a rhyme and reason to all the rules set in place. The district is seeking to set their students up to succeed.
Our district’s personal mobile computing initiative isn’t about the devices and the replacement of textbooks. In fact, learning, in general, is moving well beyond the textbook. This initiative is about creating 21st century graduates, individuals who possess the necessary skills to succeed and contribute locally and globally in jobs that may not even currently exist. These students can take charge of their own learning, challenge themselves to stretch their academic abilities, think critically and creatively, problem solve and collaborate. ("Questions About the Personal Mobile Computing Initiative", 2014) On that note, teachers are held to high standards as well. I like how both students and teachers in Lexington 1 are held accountable for their adherence (or lack of adherence) to technological standards according to federal, state, and district laws and regulations. My first reaction while watching Ron Bosch's videos was, "Wow, this is a lot of information, and kind of foreboding, a tad threatening, and a lot intimidating!" However, beginning the initiative strongly is a solid starting point. Student Interview:
This student now relies on her iPad for communication with teachers (email and Schoology) as well as creating and completing assignments. As evidenced in the video, she understand which programs and applications she must access, and for which specific purposes. When I asked her to show me apps she commonly uses, she does not hesitate to access the apps and walk me through the steps to successfully utilize the application. In my mind, this translates as successful absorption and also, successful overall understanding of iPad usage, as well as its purpose.
Literature Review (LR) Framework:
I used a Popplet because I wanted to re-illustrate the themes of my Literature Review:
First Theme: How Do Teachers Use iPads?
My research from my LR helped me discover that teachers use iPads several ways. Even though research on iPad effectiveness is still in its developmental stages, teachers are learning that the iPad holds they key to many doors they have never opened before (metaphorically speaking). Teachers can use the technology to their advantage. Children in today's society are being exposed at an early age to the ease, excitement, and efficiency of technological devices. Traditional classroom strategies are falling short with this technology group of youngsters. With the iPad, educators have access to apps and programs that can teach required material is a way that is exciting and engaging. The interviewees each provided me examples of apps, web sites, and programs they use on a daily basis. The student I interviewed was well-versed in Schoology and PowerSchool.. Moreover, the iPad allows teachers to more effectively meet the needs of special education and learning disabled students. However, with increased power also comes increased responsibility. In other words, teachers must be prepared for new degrees of classroom management. Each interviewee referred to the importance of teacher awareness in the classroom. There must be order in the classrooms where iPads live; students should be made aware of what they can and cannot do. For example:
To reiterate: classroom management is paramount; without classroom management, the effectiveness of the iPad all but disappears.
Second Theme: How Do Students Use iPads?
In my LR, I identified the ways iPads are used by students. They use the iPad to play educational games; perform research; browse the Internet; type documents in word processing applications; take photos; access school and district-approved software and web sites (in the case of Lexington 1, Schoology); and perform actions within specific applications. Students with learning disabilities utilize the iPad's unique technology capabilities to better participate in the overall educational experience. Specifically, the apps seem to have the most popularity and success because the possibilities are virtually endless. The student I interviewed used her iPad to create flash cards for studying purposes. The teachers I interviewed use Toontastic, Show Me, Rhymezone, Notability, IXL, Wordpress, and Gale. Students, being human beings, also possess the capability to misuse the school-issued iPad for purposes unrelated to their educational intent. For this reason, certain measures must be put in place to reduce the instances students are tempted and/or allowed to use the iPad for purposes other than educational. Certain web sites must be blocked, and certain apps must be restricted. Students must be made aware of the risks associated with iPad misuse and misconduct. Lexington 1's policy of violated is as follows:
Third Theme: What Issues Can iPads Cause?
The main issue iPads can cause is distraction. This point was validated by my three interviewees. Students hold in their hands great potential when they hold the iPad; the flip side of the coin, of course, is that they also hold potential for unlocking the deviant side of the iPad. iPads can access anything a personal computer can access. Social media, games, inappropriate web pages, and the camera app are certainly potential components and capabilities of the iPad that can get students into hot water. Furthermore, some sources of my LR cited students experiencing issues with vision and retina damage due to prolonged iPad light exposure. Other sources claim that the use of the iPad is all but eliminating students' learning and/or mastering penmanship. Kelsey Little said in her interview, "I've yet to see many [drawbacks], but I suppose one could argue that students lose out on their opportunity to practice penmanship" (K. Little, personal communication, December 9, 2014).
Fourth Theme: What Issues Can iPads Remedy?
In my LR, I discussed (at length) the positive potential the iPad unleashes upon the educational realm. Applications exist in numbers that exceed expectations, and the numbers continue to grow. These applications are often geared toward meeting educational state and district-level requirements and standards. For special education students, teachers have access to iPad accessories and apps that make teaching students with special needs less challenging, and most importantly, accessories and apps that benefit the special-needs child. Generally-speaking, iPads can create an exciting, technology-centered educational experience for a student that mirrors the exposure the students has been familiar since very early in his/her life. With access to the Schoology program on her app, the student I interviewed can perform a number of tasks that students (such as myself, who did not know what a desktop computer was until I went off to college in 1997) only dreamed of just a decade ago. The teachers I interviewed expressed that iPads can create a stronger learning environment, as long as the teacher in charge of the tasks manages the classroom properly and does not allow any distracted behaviors, which can remove or altogether eliminate the potential promotion of a positive educational experience.
What my data says about my research question:
To put it in simple terms: the data supports the validity of my research question.
What I learned from the data:
I learned that iPads do, in fact, largely enhance the educational experience in the classroom! However, this statement has to be formulated in an open-end sort of way. It is not absolute. For example, the three teachers I interviewed all said something along the following lines: Yes, I believe that iPads improve classroom instruction, because I use them every day in my classroom at least three times a day, but the temptation for them to play games, access social media, and use the camera in a manner unintended for school are ever-present distractions.Teacher Interviews:
1. What is your opinion of the basis of my Literature Review, which was "how do iPads improve classroom instruction?"
All three teacher interviewees agreed with the statement; they believe that iPads improve classroom instruction, and that they are expanding current educational opportunities. Kelsey Little said, "I agree with this, but believe that the iPad's effectiveness directly corresponds with the teacher's ability to use it, if they understand its capabilities, and can incorporate it into lesson plans" (K. Little, personal communication, December 9, 2014). The answer ties directly into the next question.
2. How much training do teachers require to use the iPad in their classroom?
The interviewees reported that teacher training largely depends on the individual teacher. Shay Sullivan said, "Totally depends on the teacher; so, if a teacher is already proficient with the tools, then they don’t need much training at all" (S. Sullivan, December 14, 2014).
3. How have you used the iPad in your classroom?
The interviewees use the iPad as often as possible in their classrooms. Two of the teachers teach at schools with 1:1 student to iPad ratios; one teacher teaches at a school where multiple students share the iPads every day. The apps and programs used varies. Joseph Cussen said, "I use it a lot for student research. I try to use it as an instructional tool. I also have my course fully available online – all handouts and assignments are provided online – and [the students] have their ipad in front of them only during instructional time, or during research as a class, or going over a handout, or research" (J. Cussen, personal communication, December 10, 2014).
4. How have students responded to the iPad?
Students respond positively to the iPad, according to my interviewees. Kelsey Little said, "Most really enjoy using them. However, there are still some luddites out there who resist technology and prefer pen and paper. Just today we were doing an activity in which students designed their own arena for the Hunger Games on iPads using the Toontastic App, and I had a handful of students ask if they could just draw it because they couldn't figure out the iPad's gadgets" (K. Little, personal communication, December 9, 2014).
5. What are some drawbacks/disadvantages of using the iPad in your classroom?
Shay Sullivan said, "The camera is always a challenge; they can take pictures of anything and then set it as a home screen on the device. They can leave messages for the next period because they know it is not physically possible for me to check the contents of all 27 iPads in that 3-minute period in-between classes…so really, though, there’s nothing that outweighs the benefits" (S. Sullivan, December 14, 2014). Overall, the interviewees reported that students greatly enjoy the incorporation of the iPad into their daily routine.
6. Did funding play a role in the purchase of the iPads for your school/district?
Answers varied. Joseph Cussen teaches for a wealthy private academy, so he reported no issues with being able to afford a 1:1 personal mobile computing initiative (although he did mention the irony in that the year the devices were purchased, the staff health benefits were reduced). Kelsey Little noted a difference in the Title 1 school she used to teach for, and the school she works for now where there is a 1:1 initiative in place. She said, "It doesn't seem like such a big deal anymore, but I recognize the expense because of my previous work experience" (K. Little, personal communication, December 9, 2014). Shay Sullivan responded that, while administration would have more information on financial specifics, he believes the iPad will save money in the long-term, particularly in the area of textbook purchase.
Ron Bosch/Lexington 1 School District:
The rules in place for a 1:1 Personal Mobile Computing Initiative are quite strict. There is just as much potential for failure as there is success if regulations are not followed to the furthest degree. Students learn responsibility; in other words, there is a rhyme and reason to all the rules set in place. The district is seeking to set their students up to succeed.
Our district’s personal mobile computing initiative isn’t about the devices and the replacement of textbooks. In fact, learning, in general, is moving well beyond the textbook. This initiative is about creating 21st century graduates, individuals who possess the necessary skills to succeed and contribute locally and globally in jobs that may not even currently exist. These students can take charge of their own learning, challenge themselves to stretch their academic abilities, think critically and creatively, problem solve and collaborate. ("Questions About the Personal Mobile Computing Initiative", 2014)
On that note, teachers are held to high standards as well. I like how both students and teachers in Lexington 1 are held accountable for their adherence (or lack of adherence) to technological standards according to federal, state, and district laws and regulations. My first reaction while watching Ron Bosch's videos was, "Wow, this is a lot of information, and kind of foreboding, a tad threatening, and a lot intimidating!" However, beginning the initiative strongly is a solid starting point.
Student Interview:
This student now relies on her iPad for communication with teachers (email and Schoology) as well as creating and completing assignments. As evidenced in the video, she understand which programs and applications she must access, and for which specific purposes. When I asked her to show me apps she commonly uses, she does not hesitate to access the apps and walk me through the steps to successfully utilize the application. In my mind, this translates as successful absorption and also, successful overall understanding of iPad usage, as well as its purpose.
Literature Review (LR) Framework:
I used a Popplet because I wanted to re-illustrate the themes of my Literature Review:
First Theme: How Do Teachers Use iPads?
My research from my LR helped me discover that teachers use iPads several ways. Even though research on iPad effectiveness is still in its developmental stages, teachers are learning that the iPad holds they key to many doors they have never opened before (metaphorically speaking). Teachers can use the technology to their advantage. Children in today's society are being exposed at an early age to the ease, excitement, and efficiency of technological devices. Traditional classroom strategies are falling short with this technology group of youngsters. With the iPad, educators have access to apps and programs that can teach required material is a way that is exciting and engaging. The interviewees each provided me examples of apps, web sites, and programs they use on a daily basis. The student I interviewed was well-versed in Schoology and PowerSchool.. Moreover, the iPad allows teachers to more effectively meet the needs of special education and learning disabled students. However, with increased power also comes increased responsibility. In other words, teachers must be prepared for new degrees of classroom management. Each interviewee referred to the importance of teacher awareness in the classroom. There must be order in the classrooms where iPads live; students should be made aware of what they can and cannot do. For example:
(source: http://www.lexington1.net/lexoneweb/Communications/MobileComputing/Student_Pledge.pdf)
To reiterate: classroom management is paramount; without classroom management, the effectiveness of the iPad all but disappears.
Second Theme: How Do Students Use iPads?
In my LR, I identified the ways iPads are used by students. They use the iPad to play educational games; perform research; browse the Internet; type documents in word processing applications; take photos; access school and district-approved software and web sites (in the case of Lexington 1, Schoology); and perform actions within specific applications. Students with learning disabilities utilize the iPad's unique technology capabilities to better participate in the overall educational experience. Specifically, the apps seem to have the most popularity and success because the possibilities are virtually endless. The student I interviewed used her iPad to create flash cards for studying purposes. The teachers I interviewed use Toontastic, Show Me, Rhymezone, Notability, IXL, Wordpress, and Gale. Students, being human beings, also possess the capability to misuse the school-issued iPad for purposes unrelated to their educational intent. For this reason, certain measures must be put in place to reduce the instances students are tempted and/or allowed to use the iPad for purposes other than educational. Certain web sites must be blocked, and certain apps must be restricted. Students must be made aware of the risks associated with iPad misuse and misconduct. Lexington 1's policy of violated is as follows:
(source: http://www.lexington1.net/lexoneweb/Communications/MobileComputing/PMC_Discipline.pdf)
Third Theme: What Issues Can iPads Cause?
The main issue iPads can cause is distraction. This point was validated by my three interviewees. Students hold in their hands great potential when they hold the iPad; the flip side of the coin, of course, is that they also hold potential for unlocking the deviant side of the iPad. iPads can access anything a personal computer can access. Social media, games, inappropriate web pages, and the camera app are certainly potential components and capabilities of the iPad that can get students into hot water. Furthermore, some sources of my LR cited students experiencing issues with vision and retina damage due to prolonged iPad light exposure. Other sources claim that the use of the iPad is all but eliminating students' learning and/or mastering penmanship. Kelsey Little said in her interview, "I've yet to see many [drawbacks], but I suppose one could argue that students lose out on their opportunity to practice penmanship" (K. Little, personal communication, December 9, 2014).
Fourth Theme: What Issues Can iPads Remedy?
In my LR, I discussed (at length) the positive potential the iPad unleashes upon the educational realm. Applications exist in numbers that exceed expectations, and the numbers continue to grow. These applications are often geared toward meeting educational state and district-level requirements and standards. For special education students, teachers have access to iPad accessories and apps that make teaching students with special needs less challenging, and most importantly, accessories and apps that benefit the special-needs child. Generally-speaking, iPads can create an exciting, technology-centered educational experience for a student that mirrors the exposure the students has been familiar since very early in his/her life. With access to the Schoology program on her app, the student I interviewed can perform a number of tasks that students (such as myself, who did not know what a desktop computer was until I went off to college in 1997) only dreamed of just a decade ago. The teachers I interviewed expressed that iPads can create a stronger learning environment, as long as the teacher in charge of the tasks manages the classroom properly and does not allow any distracted behaviors, which can remove or altogether eliminate the potential promotion of a positive educational experience.
What my data says about my research question:
To put it in simple terms: the data supports the validity of my research question.